104 S. SEKIYA AND Y. KIKUCHI 



it is probable that previous discharges were also more or less inclined 

 to the vertical, in a northerly direction. The main eruptions lasted 

 for a minute or more, and were accompanied by thundering sounds 

 which, though rapidly lessening in intensity, continued for nearly 

 two hours. Meanwhile the dust and steam rapidly ascended, and 

 spread into a great cloud like an open umbrella in shape, at a 

 height equal to at least three or four times that of Obandai. This 

 cloud was gradually wafted away by the wind in a southeasterly di- 

 rection. At the immediate foot of the mountain there was a rain of 

 hot scalding ashes, accompanied by pitchy darkness. A little later, 

 darkness was still great, a smart shower of rain fell, lasting for 

 about five minutes. The rain was quite warm. These phenomena, 

 as well as the terror and bewilderment which they caused among the 

 peasantry, were described in thrilling terms by the newspapers of the 

 clay. While darkness as aforesaid still shrouded the region, a mighty 

 avalanche of earth and rock rushed at terrific speed down the mountain 

 slopes, buried the Nagase valley with its villages and people, and de- 

 vastated an area of more than 70 square kilometres, or 27 square miles. 

 Mr. Tsurumaki, a priest of Echigo, who was staying at the ISaka- 

 Account of an noyu spa on the edge of the crater at the time of the eruption, and 

 eye-witness. w ] 10 esca p e J death almost miraculously, sent us soon afterwards 

 the following interesting and minute account of his terrifying ex- 

 periences: ''I started from my native village on the 8th of July, in 

 company with fair of my friends, for Bandai-san, and arrived there 

 on the 12th, i. e. three days before the catastrophe. I had been there 

 before, in July, 1885, when I stayed three weeks. On the day of my 

 recent arrival (the 8th) the fog was unusually dense, and the volume 

 of steam at Kaminoyu seemed to have lessened. On the 13th the 

 fog was denser still, and remained so till the evening. The 14th was 

 a bright day, the fogs of the previous days having cleared up. From 



